Isn't It Ironic?

I've been blogging about making writing more literary.  One strategy that can quickly elevate a piece of writing from mundane to literary is the use of irony.  Most people use "irony" in the way it's used in the song "Isn't It Ironic," as in something going wrong in a funny way.  In the song, the word "ironic" is used to categorize misfortunes like rain on one's wedding day or crashing the first time you dared to fly or getting a free ride when you've paid or meeting the perfect man who is already taken.  These examples don't entirely capture any of the three literary definitions of irony, and some don't really fit any of these definitions.  

Real irony goes counter to expectations of the reader or the characters.  Does one expect rain on a wedding day?  If one is paying attention to the weather reports or has an indoor wedding, there's nothing ironic about it.  You expected the rain or at least prepared for it.  Does one expect a handsome man to be married?  Many times, this is no surprise.  It defies no one's expectations.  If all you ever knew about irony was learned from this song, you don't fully understand the meaning of the word.  Now, isn't that ironic? 

The three kinds of literary irony are verbal, situational, and dramatic.  These literary devices can be used in comedy, tragedy, drama, or anything else in order to defy the reader's expectations.  

 

Most people use verbal irony in sarcasm.  The narrator or character means the opposite of what he/she says.  John may say, "Well, isn't that great" in a sardonic tone, when what he means is that's not great or even good.  In "Star Wars," Han Solo says, "What an incredible smell you've discovered" after they've found themselves in a foul-smelling trash compactor. In literature, Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" ironically advocates for the use of Irish babies as food when what he's trying to get people to realize that Irish people are humans, too, and deserve to be treated as such.  Verbal irony is only present when words are being used, such as in speech.  Otherwise, it's another kind of irony.  

Situational irony is when what is happening is different than is expected.  This is the closest to the definition as in the song.  For instance, in "The Gift of the Magi," a man sacrifices his watch to buy a comb for his wife's long hair, while she gives up her hair to buy a chain for his watch.  The situation defies their expectations.  Romeo rushes to Juliet's side only to find her apparently dead.  Because she seems dead, he acts accordingly and kills himself.   However, his false understanding results in both of their deaths.  The reader expects a fireman to put out fires, but in Fahrenheit 451, they do the opposite.  Authors use situational irony for all kinds of literary effects from humorous to tragic.  

 

Dramatic irony comes up all the time in comedy, tragedy, mystery, and everything else.  The narrator reveals the killer is behind the door as the investigator walks into the room.  The reader yells at the investigator to get out because he/she knows something the investigator doesn't.  This is dramatic irony.  In 12th Night, the reader/audience knows Viola is female, even as she dresses like a boy.  This can cause discomfort, emotional intensity, and humor in the love triangle, as she falls for Orsino, the man who has fallen for Olivia, who has fallen for Viola's alternate identity, Cesario.  The example in the paragraph above from Romeo and Juliet also falls into this category as the author/audience knows Juliet lives.  The use of irony heightens the drama as we watch Romeo acting without the piece of knowledge the audience has but Romeo lacks.  

You, too, can use irony in your writing.  Make sure to research and fully understand these three types.  Read examples of them.  Don't fall into the trap of just going with the misleading and shallow cultural understanding of irony.  There is much more to it than that.  Find places where your character's cell phone or computer can die just at the wrong moment, leaving him acting without the knowledge of what others are doing.  Make situations completely the opposite of what your characters expect.  Use verbal irony for humor and to add depth to dialogue.  You'll find your writing becomes much more literary as you do.  

A Title that Grabs

I've been blogging about writing in a literary fashion.  Recently, I talked about the need to ensure your first line is an attention-grabber.  Even before a reader can find your awesome first line, they must first pick up or click on the book.  To get them to do that, you must find a title that makes a reader want to learn more.  

Now, it's a given that the final title isn't always entirely up to the writer.  The writer chooses a working title, but the publisher or others may have input as well.  As much as possible, however, the writer ought to give the title a lot of thought.  It must be the kind of title that reveals and conceals, that gives the reader just enough of what the story is about without giving away too much.  

One obvious and common titling method that has stood the test of time is choosing a name for a title, often the main character's name. Jane Eyre.  David Copperfield.  Oliver Twist.  Tristram Shandy.  Emma.  The Count of Monte Cristo.  If the location plays a major role, that could also be a possibility like Mansfield Park or Wuthering Heights.  However, this kind of title may not cut it in the modern world with so much competition.  If a reader doesn't know who this Emma is or where Mansfield Park is, what makes a reader care?  A lot of titles use the name plus something about the plot, something to hint at the genre as well.  Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone.   Okay, it's obviously about one character's experience with magic.  Percy Jackson and the Olympians (series title).  Mythology?  Okay.  The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  Adventure sounds good.  This addition may intrigue the reader just enough that he/she is willing to pick up a book to find out who this Harry or Percy or Huckleberry guy may be.  

However, a lot of titles don't mention the main character at all.  So what do you choose?  Some authors choose major themes like Crime and Punishment, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, or War and Peace. These may seem a bit esoteric or more philosophical than a modern reader may want to explore, though these titles alone would appeal to some.  Think about a critical image or symbol like The Picture of Dorian Gray, Of Mice and Men, Moby Dick, Grapes of Wrath, Les Miserables, Animal Farm, The Tempest, or A Tale of Two Cities.  This kind of title may appeal to a lot of readers, especially if it's an intriguing and unique symbol, one that captures the reader's imagination.  This can be particularly successful and literary if the book, itself, makes the symbol or image carry so much more meaning.  A picture of some random guy named Dorian is intriguing, but a magical picture that magically reflects a character's soul?  That's deep.  Mice and men are common in this world, but when they become so closely paralleled and their fates tied together?  Wow.  Grapes of Wrath as a symbol draws on biblical imagery, as a lot of successful literary works do, but in the case of the novel, this image brings a lot of that imagery into the modern world, making it mean so much more.  

Really, when it comes to titles, anything intriguing, meaningful, and reflective of the story can work.  But it takes a lot of thought to come up with just the right concealing/revealing sort of title, something that invites as many questions as it answers.  It may also help to look through titles that have worked for others.  Best of luck coming up with just the right title for your amazing piece.